Santana blasts Ga. for 'cruel law'
Politico
May 15, 2011 06:45 PM EDT
Iconic guitarist Carlos Santana didn’t exactly ask the leaders of Georgia and Arizona to change their evil ways but he came awfully close.

Santana on Sunday used the occasion of baseball’s annual Civil Rights Game at Turner Field in Atlanta to excoriate those states for passing legislation aimed at illegal immigrants.

The 63-year-old native of Mexico, on the field to be honored with a Beacon of Change Award, said: “The people of Arizona, and the people of Atlanta, Georgia, you should be ashamed of yourselves.”

On Friday, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed an immigration bill that was meant to crack down on undocumented immigrants in his state, much in the vein of a law signed last year in Arizona by Gov. Jan Brewer. Similar legislation was also recently signed into law in Utah.

According to the Associated Press, Santana elaborated on his opinions after receiving his award.

“It’s a cruel law, actually,” he said.

“This is about fear. Stop shucking and jiving. People are afraid we’re going to steal your job. No we aren’t. You’re not going to change sheets and clean toilets,” he said.

“If people want the immigration laws to keep passing, then everybody should get out and leave the American Indians here,” he said.

Among those also in attendance for the event in Atlanta were Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson and Ernie Banks, actor Morgan Freeman, singer-actor Harry Belafonte, former presidential candidate Jesse Jackson and former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young.

Banks received the Beacon of Life Award from Jackson, and Freeman received the Beacon of Hope Award from former Brooklyn Dodgers pitching great Don Newcombe. Aaron was also honored at the game, which was followed by a 3-2 Atlanta Braves victory over Roy Halladay and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Santana, who emigrated to San Francisco in the 1960s, released his first album in 1969 and appeared at Woodstock that same year. He became a star at least partially due to the 1970 film “Woodstock,” which showcased his band's searing performance of “Soul Sacrifice.” Among his hits: “Evil Ways,” “Black Magic Woman,” “Winning” and “Smooth.”